Author Archives: MzEllen

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“These are the two things I want you, please, to remember – abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.”

These are the words of the newest president of the Episcopal Divinity School.  "The Rev. Dr. Katherine Ragsdale" is openly gay, obviously is supportive of women in church leadership and is pro-abortion.

Ms Ragsdale's words seem to be saying that anytime life gets in the way of convenience...life loses.

“When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing.

“And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion – there is not a tragedy in sight -- only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing.

“These are the two things I want you, please, to remember – abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.”

For those of us who would choose life, our work is not done.

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Unconditional election...AKA predestination.  It is my second least TULIP doctrine to try to explain.

Based on the premise that "God is sovereign and He gets to pick - not only how, but who."

This builds on the "T" - total depravity.  Not that each peson is as totally depraved as they could be, but rather every part of each person's will is touched by Adam's nature (original sin).

How many people seek God?

The answer (as well as in other places, is answered in Romans 3:

"None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one."

If we don't seek God, how do we find Him?

Ephesians 1:3-6. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.”

Christ told His disciples,

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide...(John 15:16)

But what about my will?

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy (Romans 9:16)

But that isn't fair

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:20-24)

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I was able to get my hands on a small bag of baby alpaca fleece (see the beige fiber below).  I was told that it is easier to spin unwashed alpaca because the dust helps hold it together - which may be true...but!

allergies...to dust.

I'm pretty miserable today, so I'm in the process of washing just enough fiber to spin in a week (otherwise I will have accidental felting)

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I had the opportunity to hear Michael Horton speak on his new book "Christless Christianity" last night. I also walked away with my copy of "Putting Amazing Back Into Grace" signed and bought a couple of more books.

He speaks about what I tried to tell my pastor: If you leave out Who justifies us in order to seek justice for others, you miss the point. We seek justice because we are justified. We have to have both pieced of the puzzle - Christ on the cross...our job here on earth.

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It's been a while since I looked at the "schedule" for the week (at one time I posted a loose daily routine of what I might post for each day of the week, thinking it might keep me posting).

Sundays were for "Reformed Theology". I know, because it pops up on the planner software.

I think that (depending on who a Reformed-type person is talking to), it might be a toss up between whether "Sola Scriptura" or "Unconditional Election" is the most difficult Reformed doctrine. Today, I'm thinking "election".

The first question: Does God have the RIGHT to decide how salvation "happens"?

That question doesn't necessarily mean that God has elected election - it just asks if He has the right to do so if He wants to.

Most people would say, "Of course.  God is God.  He gets to pick the "how". 

What are the options (and I'm sure I'll miss some)

  • free will (God makes the offer, but a person's salvation depends on them choosing to be saved
  • election (God makes the offer
  • baptismal regeneration (baptism saves the infant, but they may or may not end up "saved" later in life.)
  • works based salvation (generally not Christian denominations, although some Christians believe that a person gets salvation by faith and keeps it by works)

No matter which "method" God uses, do you think that God had the right to choose that one?

Most people (being convinced of their personal belief) would say "yes...God gets to pick the "how" (and I believe the one that He picked."

"All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have you done?" (Daniel 4:35)